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Serious biking is murder on your feet. They ache. They perspire. They make your life very difficult. But you sort-of need them. If you're going to ride a bicycle, you might as well wear the right kind of equipment to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Picking the right socks is as important as picking the right shoes or anything else. The first quality that should be looked at is the sock material. Do not buy socks for riding that are made from cotton. Cotton will trap moisture next to your foot, when what you need is something to pull moisture away. An example of the perfect kind of material is Olefin. This wonderful synthetic material actually won a Nobel prize for its light weight and the fact that it holds so little moisture. If you prefer an organic fiber, a good choice is merino wool, a material that has excellent insulating qualities and does a good job of wicking moisture away from your skin. Merino wool is also perfect for riding in cooler weather, as it is a warmer material. It is also a good idea to select biking socks that are thin. Long bike rides have a tendency to cause swelling in the rider's feet. When this happens, it is much better (i.e., less painful) to be wearing socks that give your feet room to expand inside your shoes. Thin does not equate to weak. Socks with higher thread count may in fact be thinner than other socks but provide for superior durability. Also look for socks that are seamless, or have as few seams as possible. On a long ride, seams can cause you pain. Another good quality to have in a biking sock is good compression. Compression causes a sock to stay in place on your leg. Another advantage of compression is that in helps with blood circulation in your legs. The better you can maintain your blood circulation on a long ride, the better. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning recently reported a study that revealed that runners wearing compression socks had improved performance. Common sense dictates the same principle would apply to those riding bicycles. It is highly advisable for women to purchase biking socks in female sizes. Men's socks are specifically sized for men's feet, and it is definitely preferable to wear a sock that naturally fits your foot snuggly. If possible, it is a good idea to try a particular sock on with your riding shoes. Your socks and shoes work together to keep your feet moving and protected. If this is not possible (if, for instance, you are ordering online), make sure you understand how the socks you are purchasing are sized, and buy the right size. Hopefully this next part is obvious, but you never know. You need to wear clean socks! A sock that is clean will do a better job of moving moisture away from your skin. The last thing you want is to be on a long ride with your feet sweating into dirty socks that are trapping the sweat against your skin. Don't take your socks lightly. Hard biking requires hard socks. You must wear socks that will keep your feet dry, and ideally help with blood flow to your feet. You can't go far without your feet, so you better take care of them. Swiftwick socks are high performance socks made for high performance people. Serious cyclists prefer Swiftwick socks for their superior fiber and construction that wicks moisture away from your skin while applying just the right amount of compression. To learn more about Swiftwick or check out their biking socks, visit www.swiftwick.com.
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